precise movements in mach....how do I...

[cephjedi]

Hi gang,

I just got my 1st CNC router finished and cut my very first Roadrunner on Saturday!! WOO HOO! I'm in the club! Now I'm playing with mach (got my license yesterday!) and learning what my machine can do. This is an extremely cool and addicting hobby. I'm going nuts with ideas.

One function that is possibly painfully obvious but I am overlooking is how to send the cutter to a specific point in space: Do I have to learn Gcode and type a gcode command in the MDI screen or can I plug the coordinates I want in one of the DROs somewhere? Like when you use an edge finder to locate your work, etc, etc.

Thanks! Jim

[ger21]

Originally Posted by cephjedi Do I have to learn Gcode and type a gcode command in the MDI screen or can I plug the coordinates I want in one of the DROs somewhere?

Basically, all g-code is is pluggin in your coordinates.

In MDI mode, set the feedrate you want to move at, say, 50ipm with:

F50

To move to, say, X10 Y5, type:

G1 X10 Y5

JUSt make sure you're tool is high enough that it won't hit anything. You might want to lift it up first with a :

G1 Z2

or something like that.

You can replace G1 with G0 to move at the machines rapid rate.

[cephjedi]

Sweet! Thanks for the 411 Ger! I've seen a lot of your posts in my readings and really appreciate your patience with the noobs.

Jimbo



Ger21